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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576369">Confessions In The Rain ; Soaked Like A Drowned Rat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxMidnightMasqueradexX/pseuds/XxMidnightMasqueradexX'>XxMidnightMasqueradexX</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:01:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576369</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxMidnightMasqueradexX/pseuds/XxMidnightMasqueradexX</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Confessions, Apologies and Retribution all occur here.</p><p>Takes place after Shido's Palace. </p><p>In which Ryuji gets the comfort and apologies he deserves. </p><p>And where Morgana owns up to his mistreatment of Ryuji.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amamiya Ren &amp; Sakamoto Ryuji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Confessions In The Rain ; Soaked Like A Drowned Rat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This isn't a short rp turned oneshot, this was just Midnight's late night self-indulgence. Also note I didn't come up with the nickname Juji, one of my good friends, Ran, told me about the nickname! I love it so much that I can't help but wanna use it now. The nickname Juji is just too adorable.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><hr/><p>His entire body ached, not only with the freshly inflicted physical damage he'd just received from one Hell of a beating for nearly giving his friends heart attacks, but also from the light cuts, bruises and mild burns he gained from being ejected from Shido’s Palace by that unexpected explosion.</p><p> </p><p>As he lie there against the pole, watching his friends walk away without a care in the world, he didn’t even attempt to get up and follow them.  </p><p> </p><p>Ryuji didn’t move, not even as a low tumble of thunder sounded off ahead, he saw his friends all vanish down the road leaving him behind.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes burned and he didn’t quite know why, perhaps they were dried out from the heat of the explosion? It’s not like he was about to cry, right? What reason did he have to cry for? </p><p> </p><p>What had happened to him was fine, right? So long as it made his friends feel better, to have beaten him down in retribution, for him causing them such an unfair amount of emotional distress. </p><p> </p><p>It was all good, right? Yes he’d deserved this, hadn’t he? He’d caused his friends such unneeded dismay, he’d hurt them so it was only fair that they hurt him in return? Wasn’t it…? </p><p> </p><p>Yes… it was fair. It was just. He was just being too damn sensitive, right? </p><p> </p><p>He’d deserved that beating... it was only fair that he should be burdened with a fraction of the agony his friends probably suffered through, in thinking that he was deceased. His dulled chocolate hued orbs stared dismally off into the distance. </p><p> </p><p>A sense of yearning washed over him and he couldn’t quite understand why… what was he yearning for? Why was he yearning for it? How could he be yearning something when he didn’t know what or why he was in yearning for it? He sat there for a while, hoping for something or anything, even if he didn’t quite know what it was that he hoped happened. </p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t until a raindrop fell on his head, and a warm wetness began to slip down his cheeks, that he realized what he wanted. Ryuji desperately swiped his hands against his cheeks, trying to banish them away, he didn’t have any right to cry not when he’d done something so fucking stupid and hurt his friends like that. </p><p> </p><p>Still… </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Come back… please…don’t leave…</em>
</p><p> </p><p>That disgusting plea echoed through his mind, it was a pitiful and sickening desire, that he should want his friends to turn around and pick him up off the ground.</p><p> </p><p>No, he shouldn’t be wanting them to come back. He didn’t deserve their kindness, not when he had recklessly risked his life for them without consulting them before he rushed off like that.  </p><p> </p><p>They were the Phantom Thieves, every plan and every action they took had to be reviewed by each person of the team, before it was approved.</p><p> </p><p>He’d gone against their most essential rule and it was only to be expected that he be punished for blatantly breaking said rule and causing the entire team to become emotionally compromised due to it. </p><p> </p><p>He hadn’t any right to cry… </p><p> </p><p>Hadn’t any right to wish them to come back... </p><p> </p><p>Hell what right did he even have in being a Phantom Thief when all he did was more harm to his team than good? He was always nearly slipping up and getting them exposed just like when Makoto found out because he couldn’t suppress his anger towards society.</p><p> </p><p>He was always causing his team issues in Palaces, by charging into enemy fire with reckless abandon to protect his team members, but in the end it would just cause all sorts of issues even if he did it with the best of intentions.  </p><p> </p><p>Not only that, it was because of him as well, that Morgana had briefly left the team right after coming back from Hawaii. But that wasn’t even the worst of it all, because of his hasty insistence in taking down Haru’s father, the dude ended up dead, and the Phantom Thieves had been labeled as true criminals in the eyes of the Public. Which in turn led to Ren having to fake his own death so their enemies would believe him deceased. </p><p> </p><p>Had they taken their time and assured their victory like they’d done in the past, waiting for the Shadow of Haru’s father to return to himself, and had they not walked away perhaps he’d still be alive.</p><p> </p><p>Although circumstances had been less than favorable, and the countdown was ticking, they should have at least took the time to see his Shadow leave.  </p><p> </p><p>Had Ryuji not spoken up, saying that they didn’t have time to get information out of him about the perpetrator of the mental shutdowns, then perhaps they could have learned that Akechi was the mastermind behind the mental shutdowns much sooner, and Haru’s father could have lived. </p><p> </p><p>But no, it was all for naught. All because Ryuji had been so fucking stupid. </p><p> </p><p>Why did his friends even want him around anyways? It was obvious he was just a burden to them all. Perhaps he should have just gone and died… it would have been the best possible outcome. Because he’d no longer be such a damn hindrance to the team. They could operate without someone like him, someone who only caused them unfair grief all because he couldn’t keep himself in check. </p><p> </p><p>Had it not been for him, so many things could have been avoided, especially the need for Ren having to fake his death. Their poor Leader had to go through Hell because of his mistakes.</p><p> </p><p>Why did Ren even smile at him? Why did Ren go out of his way to hang out with him? Why did Ren take time to offer him a helping hand with the Track Team? Why did Ren do anything at all for him when he was such a colossal fuck up? </p><p> </p><p>What a pathetic excuse of a friend he was. Always being such a damn burden on his friends. As he sat there, becoming soaked in the light downpour, the calm before the real storm began, he decided that they wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore. </p><p> </p><p>He decided that he should go and vanish like he should have after Shido’s Palace exploded in his face. He should have just died then. It would have freed his friends from him. He was like a damn curse, he always caused trouble for everyone. Always caused them grief… always hurt them. His mother, the Track Team, and his friends… </p><p> </p><p>He’d hurt every single one of them. For not being a better son, not controlling his rage when Kamoshida provoked him, for not keeping his recklessness in check while he worked alongside his teammates as a Phantom Thief.</p><p> </p><p>Damn that Akechi was right…  </p><p> </p><p>Ryuji truly was a fucking idiot, and it was a wonder how they all eluded capture, and dodged death for so long with him around. This wasn’t up for debate, Ryuji knew deep down everything was all true.</p><p> </p><p>He’d wronged so many people in his life and it was only natural that he’d end up all alone, leaned up against a pole, being soaked to the bones. The best thing he could do for everyone is disappear, to remove himself from their lives, everyone would be free of him.  </p><p> </p><p>He was nothing but a curse, and it wasn’t fair to those around him, that he imposed himself on them. </p><p> </p><p>Those overwhelming and crushing thoughts had consumed him so deeply, that he didn’t even notice that he’d devolved into harsh sobs. Didn’t even register he had brought his legs up to his stomach, held them there, and buried his face against his knees.</p><p> </p><p>Had failed to realize that his body was ravaged with violent trembling. Wow… he was truly pathetic. Here he was crying when he shouldn’t be. There was no validity in his lamentation, he shouldn’t be allowing his tears to flow freely. Not when he was at fault for causing nothing but strife to everyone in his life. </p><p> </p><p>Burdens don’t get to cry. </p><p> </p><p>So why… why had the dam burst? Why was he crying for? Why did it hurt? Why did he want to reach into his chest and rip his heart out? Why did he want nothing more than to sob until he ended up crying the world another damn ocean? </p><p> </p><p>“Ryuji…” </p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the rain ceased soaking him and the all too familiar gentle voice of Ren infiltrated Ryuji’s inner storm. Startled, Ryuji’s head popped up and his misty and tear filled gaze locked with Ren’s obsidian orbs. His Leader hovered over him, holding an umbrella above them to shelter them from the downpour which had picked up. Ren bent downwards and offered him his hand. </p><p> </p><p>“Come on, let’s get you out of this rain.” </p><p> </p><p>Ryuji blinked in bewilderment, as he regarded Ren with genuine confusion. He couldn’t understand why Ren had come back for him. Why had Ren gone through the trouble of coming back for a burden like him? Hesitantly he reached out and intertwined their fingers together and allowed himself to be brought up to his feet by Ren. </p><p> </p><p>Ren stared at Ryuji, concern rolling around in the pit of his stomach for the blonde, he was so disheveled in appearance and despite the fact it was raining he felt as if Ryuji had actually been crying. He swore that even through the rumbles of thunder he’d heard his best friend let out sobs of anguish.  </p><p> </p><p>He reached out with his free hand to gently brush away what he was certain to be tears upon Ryuji’s face when his best friend recoiled, and pressed his back against the pole, his hands flying up in front of him involuntarily as if he was expecting harm to be brought to him. </p><p> </p><p>“Ryuji…?” He inquired softly, tilting his head, his hand frozen in mind air, as he gazed at him with deep rooted worry. “Hey… what…what’s wrong?” </p><p> </p><p>“Ain’t… ain’t ya gonna hit me too?” Ryuji’s voice came out in such an un-Ryuji like manner. He didn’t sound like himself at all, instead he sounded so exhausted and so resigned. It was like his spirit of rebellion had abandoned him as he sat on the sidewalk after the girls had… </p><p> </p><p>Oh... </p><p> </p><p>So that’s why Ryuji expected that Ren was going to physically bring him harm. He shook his head firmly, “No, Ryuji I’m not going to hit you.” His hand finally reached its destination, as and he gently brushed away what he knew without a doubt were tears upon his best friend’s lightly bruised face. </p><p> </p><p>After that he let the umbrella fall from his other hand, so that he could bring Ryuji into a gentle and protective embrace.</p><p> </p><p>“I… I thought I lost you…I was so scared, Ryuji.” He finally admitted, as he felt Ryuji’s body lightly tremble within his arms. Ren took in shaky breaths as he tried to steady himself against his own frayed emotions. </p><p> </p><p>“Please don’t…don’t do something like that ever again. I… need you Ryuji, you’re my best friend and I wouldn’t know what to do without you. This is an order from your Leader and from your best friend, so you can’t say no, okay?”  </p><p> </p><p>Ren lightly rested his forehead against Ryuji’s as he spoke, his words shaking with his command.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want to lose anyone… I can’t lose anyone… but most of all I don’t want to and can’t lose you, Ryuji. I don’t know how I could have survived this long without you by my side. So please never again. Never ever do anything like that again.” </p><p> </p><p>Ryuji was taken aback by Ren’s words, he hadn’t expected such a heavy confession from his best friend. He was frozen up with awe, unable to comprehend why Ren still wanted him around after all the bullshit that happened because of him. After a few moments of his mind being trapped in a fog, it cleared enough for him to form coherent sentences so he could speak. </p><p> </p><p>“Why…? Why did ya come back to get me?” Ryuji inquired, his voice listless and dull, he sincerely didn’t know why Ren cared for him so deeply that he’d overlook all the egregious blunders that he’d caused. </p><p> </p><p>Ren’s response to his words was to tighten his embrace around him, as if he were attempting to shield Ryuji from the anguish that was seeping out of his very core.</p><p> </p><p>The raven haired teen inhaled deeply as if he was trying to prepare himself for something, what that was, Ryuji hadn’t a clue. Though he didn’t have any time to ponder, because his thoughts fizzled out and died when Ren’s lips were suddenly pressing against his. </p><p> </p><p>The blonde was sent reeling through several loops, as everything finally fell into place. So this is why… this is why Ren came back for him and also why he stayed. </p><p> </p><p>Ren loves him… </p><p> </p><p>Ryuji’s arms curled around Ren, and he didn’t hesitate in kissing him back, he kissed him with urgent passion and neediness.</p><p> </p><p>His body trembling harshly, as he clutched to Ren as if he were his lifeboat, and if he should let go of him he’d drown in a sea of his own creation. </p><p> </p><p>More tears cascaded down his cheeks, as he pressed his lips back against Ren’s, needing nothing more than to feel all the love that Ren was pouring into the kiss. </p><p> </p><p>The chill that had taken hold of Ryuji was being chased away by the warmth of his best friend, the one he’d loved with his entire heart and soul, for so very long. He never imagined that Ren could feel the same way.</p><p> </p><p>Never even dreamed of it, he just accepted that he probably didn’t, and now here Ren was proving him wrong in the best damn way possible. He was wrong to not believe that Ren couldn’t feel the same way he did. He was wrong to think that Ren didn’t love him. This was the only time in Ryuji’s life that he was relieved to be wrong.  </p><p> </p><p>Because this… </p><p> </p><p>Kissing Ren just felt so right. It was like their lips were made for the other’s. They fit so perfectly together, there wasn’t any flaws to hinder their connection, and the inner storm that plagued Ryuji was breaking apart and clearing.</p><p> </p><p>After what seemed to be an eternity, they reluctantly pulled away for air, and Ryuji allowed himself to break. He slumped against Ren, burying his face against his chest, and sobbed without restraint. Freeing all the sorrows he denied himself to feel. </p><p> </p><p>“Shhh…it’s okay, Juji…” Ren’s gentle voice whispered soothingly to him. Ren held Ryuji close to him, and continued to whisper words of solace, as he pressed soft kisses to the top of his head. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re alright, I’m here…I’m here. I love you, and I won’t ever leave you behind. You didn’t deserve any of that…you saved us… you saved me. I…I’m so glad you’re okay. Thank you for saving us but also for still being alive too. I... I never want to lose you, Juji.”  </p><p> </p><p>Ryuji didn’t even need to say anything for Ren to understand just what his mindset had been. Then again they knew one another better than they knew themselves. So he wasn’t shocked to hear Ren’s words of comfort in regards to his emotional state of being. What he was shocked about was the fact Ren loves him. </p><p> </p><p>“For real…?” Ryuji whispered breathlessly, as he tilted his head upwards to gaze deeply into Ren’s ever mystifying obsidian orbs. It was there at the core he found his answer, he could clearly see the love Ren had for him shimmering brightly like galaxies within them. The love he saw in Ren’s eyes began to obliterate the anguish that Ryuji harbored within himself. </p><p> </p><p>His agony was vanquished and it was replaced with sweet bliss, as Ryuji once again buried his face against Ren’s chest. This time not due to sorrow, but due to embarrassment, he could feel heat rising to his cheeks and he bet his face looked like a cherry. No words existed to describe just how elated he was. He knew Ren loved him when he kissed him, but it didn’t fully sink in until just now. </p><p> </p><p>Until Ren verbalized it to him. </p><p> </p><p>“For real.” Ren affirmed. </p><p> </p><p>The raging storm inside of them and the one outside of them all ceased. Leaving them both soaked and disheveled. Despite the dreary atmosphere of it all, the two of them couldn’t be happier to be standing here in one another’s embrace, sopping wet, with the high probability of taking ill, in their near future.</p><p> </p><p>They would stand there, embracing one another like that, and for the next several minutes occasionally kiss one another. All while whispering sweet nothings, before they decided to head back to Leblanc to dry off, and spend the night together for the first time as boyfriends. </p><p> </p><p>And when morning came the next day, Ren had called the others over to their hideout and bestowed upon them a few choice words about their abhorrent reactions towards Ryuji after learning he was alive. In the end everyone apologized for their poor behavior, including Morgana which was a shock to Ryuji but hey, he’d take it.  </p><p> </p><p>After all the apologies had been given, and all those promises from his friends that they’d treat him better from here on out, Ryuji came to realize that he wasn’t a burden to his friends. That they wanted him around and didn’t wish for him to vanish. </p><p> </p><p>Well...</p><p> </p><p>Ryuji supposed he could stick around.</p><p> </p><p>Under one condition though.  </p><p> </p><p>Morgana didn’t think this condition very fair, but he resigned to it anyways. The next time it stormed, Morgana found himself soaked to the bones and looking like a drowned rat, shivering like a shaking leaf, sitting on the wooden floor of Leblanc as a puddle pooled beneath him while everyone laughed at his misfortune. The feline had finally owned up to his constant mistreatment of Ryuji, and then he too devolved into merry laughter along with the rest of his teammates. </p><p> </p><p>All was as it should be. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed Morgana getting his comeuppance at the end hehe!~</p></blockquote></div></div>
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